Ludwig van Beethoven was baptised on December
17th 1770 at Bonn. His family originated
from Brabant, in Belgium. His father was
musician at the Court of Bonn, with a definite
weakness for drink. His mother was always
described as a gentle, retiring woman, with
a warm heart. Beethoven referred to her
as his "best friend". The Beethoven
family consisted of seven children, but
only the three boys survived, of whom Beethoven
was the eldest.

At an early age, Beethoven took an interest
in music, and his father taught him day and
night, on returning to the house from music
practice or the tavern. Without doubt, the
child was gifted, and his father Johann envisaged
creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy.

On March 26th 1778, at the age of 7 1/2, Beethoven
gave his first know public performance, at
Cologne. His father announced that he was
6 years old. Because of this, Beethoven always
thought that he was younger than he actually
was. Even much later, when he received a copy
of his baptism certificate, he thought that
it belonged to his brother Ludwig Maria, who
was born two years before him, and died as
a child.

But the musical and teaching talents of
Johann were limited. Soon Ludwig learned
music, notably the organ and composition
by renowned musicians, such as Gottlob Neefe.
Neefe recognised the how extraordinarily
talented Beethoven was. As well as teaching
him music, he made the works of philosophers,
ancient and modern, known to Beethoven.

In 1782, before the age of 12, Beethoven published
his first work: 9 variations, in C Minor,
for Piano, on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler
(WoO 63). And the following year, in 1783,
Neefe wrote in the "Magazine of Music",
about his student: "If he continues like
this he will be, without doubt, the new Mozart".

In June 1784, on Neefe's recommendations,
Ludwig was appointed organist of the court
of Maximilian Franz, Elector of Cologne. He
was 14. This post enabled him to frequent
new circles, other than those of his father
and friends of his family. Here he met people
who were to remain friends for the rest of
his life: The Ries family, the von Breuning
family and the charming Eleonore, Karl Amenda,
the violinist, Franz Gerhard Wegeler, a doctor,
and a dear friend who also went to Vienna,
etc.

At home, little by little, Ludwig replaced
his father. Financially first of all, because
Johann, often under the influence of drink,
was less and less capable of keeping up his
role at the court. The young Beethoven felt
responsible for his two younger brothers, an
idea he kept for the rest of his life, sometimes
to the extent of being excessive.

Prince Maximilian Franz was also aware of
Beethoven's gift, and so he sent Beethoven
to Vienna, in 1787, to meet Mozart and to
further his musical education. Vienna was,
after all, the beacon city in terms of culture
and music. There exist only texts of disputable
authenticity on the subject of this meeting
between Mozart and Beethoven. Mozart is thought
to have said "Don't forget his name -
you will hear it spoken often."!

But a letter called Beethoven back to Bonn:
his mother was dying. The only person in his
family with whom he had developed a strong
and loving relationship passed away on July
17th 1787.

Five years later, in 1792, Beethoven went back
to Vienna, benefiting from another grant, for
two years, by the Prince Elector, again to pursue
his musical education. He never went back to
the town of his birth. His friend Waldstein
wrote to him: "You shall receive Mozart's
spirit from Haydn's hands"...

At Vienna, the young musician took
lessons with Haydn, then with Albrechtsberger
and Salieri. He captured the attention
of, and astonished, Vienna, with his
virtuosity and his improvisations on
piano. In 1794, Beethoven composed his
opus 1, three trios for piano. The following
year, Beethoven made his first public
performance at Vienna (an "Academy")
whereby each musician was to play his
own work. Then followed a tour: Prague,
Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin before leaving
for a concert in Budapest.

Beethoven made numerous acquaintances at Vienna.
Everybody in the musical and aristocratic world
admired the young composer. These music-lovers
were Beethoven's greatest supporters. He became
angry regularly with one or another of them,
often making honourable amends soon afterwards.
His talent excused his excessive, impulsive
behaviour.

In 1800, Beethoven organised a new concert
at Vienna including, notably, the presentation
of his first symphony. Although today we find
this work classical, and close to the works
of Mozart and Haydn, at the time certain listeners
found the symphony strange, overly extravagant,
and even risqué. This genius, Beethoven,
who was still a young, new composer, was already
pushing the established boundaries of music.

In 1801 Beethoven confessed to his friends
at Bonn his worry of becoming deaf. At Heiligenstadt,
in 1802, he wrote a famous text which expressed
his disgust at the unfairness of life: that
he, a musician, could become deaf was something
he did not want to live through. But music
made him carry on. And he wrote that he
knew that he still had many other musical
domains to explore, to discover, and to
pass on. Beethoven did not commit suicide,
rather, knowing that his handicap was getting
worse and worse, he threw himself into his
greatest works: exceptional sonatas for
piano (notably The Storm, opus 31), the
second and the third symphonies- The Eroica
- and of course many more.

Beethoven wrote this third symphony in honour
of a great man, Bonaparte. He was seen as the
liberator of the people, opening, from the French
Revolution, a door to hope. When the First Consul
declared himself Emporor, Beethoven became enraged
and scowled out Bonaparte's name from the score.

On April 7th 1805 the Eroica symphony was
played for the first time.

Meanwhile, Beethoven had finally finished
his opera, Leonore, the only opera he
ever wrote. He wrote and re-wrote four
different overtures. The name of the opera
therefore changed to Fidelio, against
the wishes of the composer. November 20th
1805 was the date of the opening performance
before a thin audience of French
officers. This was because Napolean, head
of the army, had captured Vienna for the
first time. This happened again in 1809.

In the years that followed, the creative
activity of the composer became intense. He
composed many symphonies, amongst which were
the Pastoral, the Coriolan Overture, and the
famous Letter for Elise. He took on many students,
those he found young and attractive, and he
therefore fell in love with several of them.
The Archbishop Rudolph, brother of the emperor,
also became his student, his friend and eventually
one of his benefactors.

In 1809, Beethoven wanted to leave Vienna,
at the invitation of Jérome Bonaparte.
His long-standing friend, the Countess Anna
Marie Erdödy, kept him at Vienna with the
help of his wealthiest admirers: the Archbishop
Rudolph, the Prince Lobkowitz and the Prince
Kinsky. These men gave Beethoven an annual grant
of 4 000 florins, allowing him to live without
financial constraint. The only condition was
that Beethoven was not to leave Vienna. Beethoven
accepted. This grant made him the first independent
composer. Before this contract musicians and
composers alike (even Bach, Mozart and Haydn),
became servants in the houses of wealthy aristocratic
families. They were thus part of the domestic
staff, with no more rights than any other, but
with the added task of composition and performance.
Thus, for the musician of the day, Beethoven
had outstanding circumstances: he was free to
write what he wanted, when he wanted, under
command or not, as he pleased.

In 1812, Beethoven went for hydrotherapy
at Teplitz, where he wrote his ardent letter
to "The Immortal Beloved". This
letter which was found in a secret draw
with the Heiligenstadt Testament, has not
stopped the theories and suppositions of
researchers and biographers ever since.
Numerous women amongst his students and
friends have been, in turn, proposed as
the recipient of this letter. Unless a new
document is discovered (perhaps within the
possessions of a private collector) it is
likely that the truth about this mysterious
woman will remain a secret.

At the end of July 1812, Beethoven met Goethe,
under the organisation of Bettina Brentano.
These two great men admired each other, but
didn't understand each other. The composer
found the poet too servile, and the poet last
estimation was that Beethoven was "completely
untamed". Beethoven admired Goethe, he
put to music several of his poems. I always
regretted not having been better understood
by Goethe.

Then one of his benefactors, the Prince Lobkowitz,
fell into financial difficulty, and the Prince
Kinski died from falling off his horse. Kinski's
descendant decided to put an end to the financial
obligations towards Beethoven. Here started
one of the composer's many attempts at saving
his financial independence.

The Czech Johann Nepomuk Maelzel took up contact
with Beethoven. Inventor of genius, and probably
inventor of the metronome, Maelzel had already
met Beethoven and had created various devices
to help Beethoven with his hearing: acoustic
cornets, a listening system linking up to the
piano, etc. In 1813, Beethoven composed 'The
Victory of Wellington', a work written for a
mechanical instrument made by Maelzel, the "panharmonica"
(or "panharmonicon"). But it was above
all the metronome which helped evolve music
and Beethoven, who had taken interest straight
away, noted scrupulously the markings on his
scores, so that his music could be played how
he wished.

The Academy of 1814 regrouped his work,
as well as the seventh and eighth symphonies.
This was also the time of the re-writing
of Leonore as Fidelio, Beethoven's only
opera. This work eventually became successful
before the public.

Then the Congress of Vienna met, which
brought together all the heads of state
to decided the future of Europe after
Napoleon. This was one of Beethoven's
moment of glory. He was invited to play
many times, bringing him recognition and
admiration of which he could be truly
proud.

On November 15th 1815, Kaspar Karl, Beethoven's
brother, died. He left behind his wife, whom
the composer referred to as 'The queen of the
night' due to the pastimes of the widow, as
well as a son, Karl, who was 9. Here Beethoven's
life was to change dramatically. His brother
had written that he wished Karl's guardianship
to be exercised by both his wife and his brother
Ludwig. Beethoven took this role very seriously,
but the 45 year old celibate who could no longer
hear found it difficult to live with and understand
a child, and then a young man. This cohabitation
was the cause of a new trial against the mother
of the child, a generation conflict and numerous
troubles.

In 1816, Carl Czerny (future teacher of Franz
Liszt and once Beethoven's student) became Karl's
music teacher, but didn't find the talent in
the boy which Beethoven hoped him to posses.
At this time , he ended his cycle of lieders
'To the distant loved one'and drafted the first
theme for his ninth symphony.

Two years later, the Archduke Rudolph became
Cardinal and Beethoven began composing his
mass in D. It was never ready for the intronisation,
but the work was rich beyond compare.

Gioachino Rossini triumphed in Vienna in 1822
where he met Beethoven again. The language barrier
and Beethoven's deafness meant that they could
only exchange brief words. The Viennese composer
tolerated Italian opera only in moderation -
he found it lacked seriousness.

The ninth symphony was practically finished
in 1823, the same year as the Missa Solemnis.
Liszt, who was 11, met Beethoven who came
to his concert on April 13th. He congratulated
the young virtuoso heartily who, years later,
transcribed the entirety of Beethoven's
symphonies for piano.

May 7th 1824 was the date of the first playing
of the ninth symphony and despite musical
difficulties, and problems in the sung parts,
it was a success. Unfortunately it was not
financially rewarding. Financial problems
constantly undermined the composer. He always
had money put to one side, but he was keeping
it for his nephew.

Then began the period of the last quartets,
which are still difficult even for today's
audience, which knows how to interpret his
other works. He started to compose his tenth
symphony.

In 1826, Beethoven caught cold coming back
from his brother's place, with whom he had rowed
again. The illness complicated other health
problems from which Beethoven had suffered all
his life. He passed away encircled by his closest
friends on March 26th 1827, just as a storm
broke out.

The funeral rites took place at the church
of the Holy Trinity. It is estimated that
between 10 000 and 30 000 people
attended. Franz Schubert, timid and a
huge admirer of Beethoven, without ever
having become close to him, was one of
the coffin bearers, along with other musicians.
Schubert died the next year and was buried
next to Beethoven.

The actor Heinrich Anschütz read
the funeral prayer written by Franz Grillparzer,
(a great writer), in front of the doors
of theWähring cemetery (now Schubert
Park).